An Introduction to a Weirder World
by WillSherJohnKhan
Summary: The Strangolly Chronicles begin...
1. The Night Nurse

BART'S HOSPITAL - PATHOLOGY DEPT

The last thing Molly Hooper expected to see when she walked into her office was a man, who looked as if he'd attended a fancy dress party, sitting on the edge of her desk.

Dressed in a blue jacket and pants, a heavy belt wrapped around his middle, gloves adorned his hands, a bright crystal hung on a chain around his neck and the ensemble was completed with a high-collared, deep red cloak. It was certainly an impressive, if impractical look in the current surroundings.

But Molly dismissed the ridiculous outfit as irrelevant in comparison to the man himself. He was clearly over six foot and possessed powerful arms and chest. The goatee beard was brown like his hair that also sported streaks of silvery grey on both sides. A handsome face that was currently marred by a number of cuts and scratches. Though the injuries didn't appear life threatening, they looked painful. Molly hurried over to a cabinet and retrieved a medical kit and returned to her desk.

"What on earth are you doing here?" she asked as she set to work on the worst of the cuts on his face. "You should have gone to the emergency department."

"So where did I end up?" the man's voice rumbled to life, instantly causing shivers of excitement to race up and down Molly's spine.

"Nurse!" he growled impatiently, raising an inquiring eyebrow. Molly knew she should feel horrified being caught out openly admiring the stranger. But the way he growled out the word only escalated the shivers, causing them to race all the way down to the apex of her thighs.

The knowing smirk that appeared on his lips however was enough to have her cheeks and the tips of her ears turning a delightful shade of pink. She stumbled over her words in a desperate attempt to refocus on the matter at hand. "You.. You're in my office, down the hall from the morgue."

To Molly's surprise, and delight the man let out a chuckle, from the rusty hoarse timbre, it was clear that it had been a long time since he'd found anything to laugh about.

Shaking his head in disbelief he murmured. "Oh the irony."

When Molly frowned in confusion at the cryptic remark, the man went on to explain. "I was in a fight for my life, one that I was losing. In a last ditch effort to escape the Lord of Darkness's clutches I shifted dimensions while still in his grasp, knowing it would likely end with my death…" Again he gave a ragged laugh. "To end up near the morgue, no less."

Molly gave a little sigh of disappointment. Why was there always something not quite right about the men she found attractive? He was clearly delusional. Was she cursed?

As if sensing where her thoughts were headed, the man got to his feet.

Towering over her, he reached down to cradle her face in his hands. "Thank you for your assistance my little night nurse. But I'm afraid its time for me to leave."

Molly stepped back, uncertain if he was making fun of her. "I'm not a nurse," she stated firmly. "I'm Doctor Molly Hooper – Pathologist."

The man looked down at the small woman in front of him with unconcealed admiration. "My sincerest apologies," he said before holding out a gloved hand. When Molly took it, he introduced himself. "Doctor Stephen Strange, former neurosurgeon, and currently Sorcerer Supreme, at your service."

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, his gaze never leaving hers. He then let go of her hand and stepped back. "It was a pleasure to meet you Molly Hooper. I look forward to seeing you in the not too distant future."

There was a flash of light, and he was gone.

Molly stood where she was, momentarily stunned. Then gathering herself together she sat at her desk, and typed into her computers search engine: 'Doctor Stephen Strange – Neurosurgeon'.


	2. Through the Looking Glass

SANCTUM SANCTORUM – GREENWICH VILLAGE

Doctor Stephen Strange was sitting crossed legged on a large Persian rug in his Meditation Chamber, the Orb of Agamotto resting on the palm of his right hand.

As unobtrusively as he could, Wong, the Sorcerer Supremes manservant moved about the room making sure everything was in its place, and that the building was secure.

Strange didn't acknowledge the man's presence, he remained focussed on the crystal ball in his hand. Breathing deeply he dismissed from his mind everything except that which he wished to see. Gradually the cloudy mist inside the crystal dissipated to reveal the object to have caught the master magician's interest, Pathologist, Doctor Molly Hooper.

MOLLY'S FLAT – LONDON

Molly's day had been a busy one, made more so by the fact she'd had to do a double shift when Doctor Thomas called in sick.

And then there had been the incident with the man she'd found injured in her office, Doctor Stephen Strange…

As she got ready for bed, Molly tried to reconcile what she's read on the Internet about the brilliant New York neurosurgeon with the man she'd met in her office. In the end deciding she was too worn out to solve that particular puzzle. What she really needed right now was sleep.

With that decision made she got into bed, turned off the light on her bedside cabinet and closed her eyes.

SANCTUM SANCTORUM – GREENWICH VILLAGE

Strange watched as Molly drifted off to sleep, a small smile playing upon her lips.

"Sweet dreams, little one," he murmured softly.


	3. Through a Glass Darkly

MOLLY'S FLAT – LONDON

Molly Hooper had been so exhausted that as soon as her head hit the pillow she'd immediately slipped into REM sleep.

But although her dreams started off pleasant, they didn't remain so. She was soon twisting and turning restlessly, the bed sheets entrapping her. Molly's peaceful expression was soon contorted by the twisted terrifying images filling her subconscious mind.

On a purely instinctive level Molly became aware that there had been a shift, and that somehow she was no longer in her bed in her flat in London.

When she opened her eyes, her suspicions were confirmed.

DREAM DIMENSION – NIGHTMARE WORLD

Molly found herself standing in a darkened room. All around her she could hear the moans and screams of an untold number of individuals being tortured.

But it was the sound of the evil cackle that made her shiver.

Molly turned in the direction of the loathsome sound, to be confronted by a creature. A demon she supposed would describe it best. She couldn't see it clearly and for that she was grateful. The little she could make out of the hideous beast made her shudder with revulsion.

Nightmare gave a viciously delighted grin as he observed the petite woman before him.

"You are mine now, Molly Hooper," he informed her.

The snarling guttural quality of the voice attached to the grotesque vision before her made Molly want to turn and run away. But she was unable to move, her legs frozen in place.

Then Molly became aware of a woman screaming in agony. It was only when she doubled over in the most excruciating pain, clutching her head that felt as though it was about to explode, that she realised the one screaming was her.

As Nightmare continued to drain Molly of her psychic energy, he strode to stand menacingly in front of her. Raising her head so that she was forced to look upon him, he gloated triumphantly. "No-one can save you now."

Molly Hooper may have been plain and small, but she was a fighter. Through her pain she recalled his words…

"… effort to escape… shifted dimensions…"

With all the strength she could muster, Molly desperately cried out telepathically. "Doctor Strange..! Help me..! Please..!"


	4. In His Mind's Eye

SANCTUM SANCTORUM – GREENWICH VILLAGE

The call had been faint, but it was enough to have him rushing to his library to get the Book of the Vishanti.

When his initial attempts to get a visual through the Orb of Agamotto revealed only mist, it was a clear indication to the Earth's Sorcerer Supreme that dark magic was involved. It also meant that the call had not come from within the Earth Dimension.

Molly Hooper was in grave danger.

Strange reasoned that given the last time he'd seen Molly, she'd been safely tucked up in bed asleep, the demon, Nightmare was the most likely candidate to abduct her. And that fact alone made his search for the perfect spell that more urgent.

Nightmare was usually content to feed on an individual's psychic energies as they slept. But if the demon had decided to trap Molly's dream self in his Nightmare World, then that would mean he had singled her soul out for specific torture.

To save her from such a terrible fate meant he was going to have to enter the demon's realm by using the Dream Dimension

Upon finding the page he wanted, he knew he'd found the means by which he could do it.

But first…

DREAM DIMENSION – NIGHTMARE WORLD

Molly could feel her internal organs failing one after another. But even as she felt certain that her next breath would be her last, she still fought valiantly.

"Why?" she gasped, needing to understand the reason behind what she assumed would be her untimely death.

"Why indeed," Nightmare cackled. Reaching out, he grasped Molly by the throat and lifted her into the air. "Because I can," came the unsatisfactory reply.

Before she could respond, she heard a voice in her head.

His voice.

"I'm coming Molly, never fear."

Instantly Nightmare sensed a change had come over his victim. She no longer struggled, her expression serene. She was at peace.

Initially annoyed, the demon became enraged. For there was only one being who could have brought about such a radical change to her demeanour. With a snarl Nightmare spun around, throwing Molly to the ground, to face his adversary.

To be confronted by not one Sorcerer Supreme, but several.

Nightmare grinned evilly. He knew that for Strange to astral project multiple copies of himself required the use of a lot of his power, which thereby left him weak.

As he moved towards them he was filled with an unholy satisfaction. Finally! The opportunity he'd been waiting for, to destroy the mighty magician once and for all.

MOLLY'S FLAT – LONDON

In her bed, Molly's corporeal form continued to twist and thrash about, still fighting against the demon's hold of her dream self.

At the end of the bed stood Doctor Strange, his eyes closed and the start of a smug smile playing upon his lips as he set into motion the next stage of his plan.

DREAM DIMENSION – NIGHTMARE WORLD

Something wasn't right.

Every time Nightmare attempted to repel the sorcerer's projections, they increased in number, and the more that appeared the stronger they became.

It made no sense to the demon. By his reckoning, Strange should be weakening, but he wasn't. Of more concern, the more attempts he made to destroy the projections, the less affect his spells had.

In no time he was overwhelmed, finding himself completely surrounded.

One of the projections pointed towards Molly. "Release her," it demanded.

Realising he had little choice, Nightmare reluctantly released Molly from his control.

Instantly Molly's dream self disappeared.

When Nightmare turned back to the multiple projections, he found only one.

Not a projection, but the real Sorcerer Supreme.

He had been tricked.

Strange gave a jaunty salute before exiting the Nightmare World.

MOLLY'S FLAT – LONDON

Molly's eyes flickered open, and she let out a sigh of relief when she realised she was in her bed. She started to sit up, pausing when she saw Doctor Stephen Strange standing at the end of her bed.

He shook his head, stalling her intention to voice the many questions she had. "Sleep now," he instructed.

As a wave of exhaustion washed over her, Molly muttered. "I expect an explanation when I next wake up."

It wasn't a request.

"And you will," he assured her. "I promise."


	5. It's All Relative

MOLLY'S FLAT – LONDON

When next Molly opened her eyes she felt well rested and refreshed. Getting out of bed she headed for the bathroom to have a shower. Afterwards, dressed casually in a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans she entered the kitchen intending to make a cup of coffee.

Only to find that one had already been made for her, along with a delicious smelling, hearty breakfast.

Molly's tummy rumbled its approval as she sat down at the kitchen table, opposite the man who had prepared it.

"Thank you," she said as she picked up her knife and fork before tucking into the food before her.

"You're welcome," Strange responded. "I thought you might be hungry after last nights little misadventure."

The reminder of the previous night's events gave Molly pause. "So," she asked hesitantly. "That really did happen then?"

"Yes it did."

After a moment's contemplation, Molly gave Strange her full attention. "All right," she said. "I'm listening."

Stephen nodded in silent approval, impressed with Molly's determination to confront head on the extraordinary circumstances she found herself involved with.

He'd given much thought while she slept as to the best way to explain the world he now inhabited, and his role within it. Deciding in the end that there was no better explanation than the one given to him by the Ancient One.

"What if I told you the reality you know is one of many."

Molly didn't immediately respond, choosing instead to contemplate the magnitude his suggestion implied. She thought about what happened last night, knowing on a purely instinctive level that her subconscious had indeed been transported to that other place. Then she recalled his words when she first met him, when she was certain he was delusional.

"…In a last ditch effort to escape the Lord of Darkness's clutches I shifted dimensions while still in his grasp…"

And then when he'd left, he'd just…disappeared.

"It's a lot to take in, to accept and understand," Strange acknowledged.

'That," Molly thought, 'was an understatement.' And then she frowned. In their first encounter he'd referred to himself as a former surgeon and now Sorcerer Supreme…

Her mind still trying to come to terms with so many impossibilities, she blurted out. "I looked you up on the Internet. You were New York's top neurosurgeon."

"I was," Strange confirmed, lifting his damaged hands for her inspection. "Then I had an automotive accident which left me unable to use my hands."

Molly gently took his hands in her own and examined them, wincing in sympathy at not only the pain he must have gone through, but the frustration, unable to continue in the field he'd spent so many years training for.

"So how did you go from being a neurosurgeon to a …" indicating his attire.

"I travelled to Tibet looking for a cure. Instead I became the apprentice to the Ancient One, the Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. She taught me that there was another way I could save the lives of many others, more than I ever could performing surgery."

Strange paused briefly, but seeing that Molly was now genuinely intrigued he continued his explanation. "The Ancient One showed me that through the mystic arts it was possible to not only harness energy to shape reality, but to use it to travel great distances."

"Travel between dimensions."

Stephen nodded. "With the aid of magical spells and mystical objects," he said, indicating the amulet that hung around his neck.

"And your…your job is to what?"

"When the Ancient One was killed, I became the Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. It is my job to protect the Earth and all its citizens from any potential threat."

"From the other dimensions," Molly finished. "Like you saved me."

"Yes."

Molly looked at the man seated across from her with increasing admiration. He truly had been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But he'd refused to give up, had taken on learning about multi dimensions that previously he had no idea existed, and had taken on the mantle of defender of the Earth, because to not do so was unthinkable.

As she looked deep into his eyes she saw his determination to succeed. But what caught at her heartstrings was the loneliness she read in their tortured depths. And it was this that had her getting to her feet, taking him by the hand and leading him into her sitting room.

Once seated on her sofa, Molly snuggled up close to the most incredible man she had ever encountered, before reaching for the remote to turn the TV on.

"What are we doing?" the sorcerer supreme queried curiously.

Molly turned, her eyes twinkled merrily and a huge smile spread across her lips. Lips that Stephen realised he wouldn't be averse to kissing. "We, Doctor Strange," she announced. "Are going to spend some quality time watching crap TV. Any objections?"

"Not a one," he responded, eager to not only sit and relax for a while, but to enjoy the company of a woman he was determined to get to know better.


End file.
